Moscow City Symphony - Russian Philharmonic

In 2000 Moscow City Government founded Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic – the first and the only Moscow City level full symphony orchestra over the centuries-old history of the Russian capital – in order to make Moscow the leading cultural capital. Appointed by Moscow City Culture Department the initiator of founding the orchestra Gayane Shiladzhyan is its Chief Executive Officer since 2001. Since 2011 — Dmitri Jurowski is Chief Conductor of Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic.

Nowadays Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic is one of the best and the most sought after orchestras in Russia which performs with great success at major concert venues in this country and abroad. Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic operates as independent concert and producing organization of all its events and gives more than 100 concerts per season which take place at State Kremlin Palace, Crocus City Hall, Moscow International House of Music, Grand Hall of the Conservatory, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. Within 15 years the only full symphony orchestra of Moscow City Government has deservedly won the love of Muscovites and Russians, and has become a well-known music brand. It is the only orchestra which with the same success and highest professionalism plays music of different genres – from classics to rock. Critics note unique strong energy of the concerts which does not leave indifferent anyone from many-thousand listeners of all ages.

Confirming the status of the orchestra of new millennium, Russian Philharmonic implements large-scaled innovative projects. Legendary cantata by C. Orff Carmina Burana with large-scaled slide and video projections of the masterpieces by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Bosch, Bruegel, and Durer is the most successful. These vivid visual images fill all space of the concert hall. Also, other major projects were implemented using up-to-date light projection techniques such as: cycle for children «Fairy tale in Russian music» («Fairy tale about Tsar Saltan», «The Golden Cockerel» with the participation of theatre and cinema actors); Aida by G. Verdi, opera recital, when all space of the concert hall was plunged in the atmosphere of Ancient Egypt.

The orchestra held a Festival dedicated to its 15th anniversary within which the music to the ballet The Rite of Spring by I. Stravinsky, using scenery and costumes’ sketches by N. Roerich which were created for this ballet; Scheherazade by N. Rimsky-Korsakov with scenery and costumes’ sketches by L. Bakst. This performance will take place on March 15, 2016. The orchestra is not afraid of experiments, but it never distorts the essence of compositions, making excellent quality the corner-stone.

In order to attract new audience to “live” music the orchestra organized and performed several Live Cinema Concerts, such as Metropolis, Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings.

Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic leads various enlightenment activity, develops actively Russian music culture. The orchestra’s repertoire includes Russian and foreign classical music, works by contemporary composers, pieces of different genres.

Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic opened the III Mstislav Rostropovich International Festival at Grand Hall of Conservatory.

Annually with the support of Moscow City Government the orchestra organizes two festivals. At the end of June – Classical Music Art Festival in Tsaritsyno takes place during which classical, folk and rock music are performed by Russian and foreign celebrities at all halls of the Big Palace and Palace Square. Grandiose gala-concert at the Palace Square is traditional culmination of the Festival, according to Moscow City Culture Department it is attended by 50000 people. Open air format and free entrance helps to make classical music art popular with all categories of the audience. At the end of December – Moscow International Festival Christmas-fest takes place at Moscow International House of Music, which is annually attended by more than 15000 people.

Moscow International House of Music is concert, rehearsal and administrative base of Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic.

Moscow City Symphony – Russian Philharmonic performed at the best venues of Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Oman, Slovakia, Taiwan, Turkey, Czech Republic, and Japan. In the season 2012 – 2013 the orchestra opened the European Music Festival in Sofia (Bulgaria), and made a very successful debut at the Brucknerfest in Linz (Austria). In September 2013 there were successful concerts in France – in Lyon and at the annual International Music Festival in Besancon. In January 2014 Russian Philharmonic made its debut at Royal Festival Hall, London under the aegis of the UK – Russia Year of Culture. In August 2014 the orchestra performed at closing of the Classical Music D-Marin Festival in Bodrum (Turkey). In September 2015 one more performance of the orchestra within Brucknerfest in Linz (Austria) and the concert at International Music Festival in Bratislava (Slovakia).

The orchestra has a letter of acknowledgement from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky for active participation in preparation and holding the Second All-Russian Musical Competition (2012).

A letter of acknowledgement from the Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergey Ivanov for active participation in preparation and holding events connected with the 70th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941 – 1945.